Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Pulled the floor off again to clean up the backside of the holes and prep it all for final assembly. Once it was ready, I bolted it onto the framerails and started laying down the wood. I like the fact that the mounting hardware will be completely hidden beneath the planks :cool: Still need to cut and drill for the bedsides and tubs, then it will all get tightened down...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Did you cut down your 'body pucks'? They look slightly shorter than my 3" ones (might just be how they appear in the monitor).

Wood looks good!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Yes, I took 1 1/8" out of them to accommodate the thickness of the wood stacked on top of the metal floor ribs. They are now 1 7/8" tall. Thanks for the comment- it still needs a little work, but should turn out nicely :)

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

very nice!!!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks! Getting there- slowly today...

Managed to get the bed floor bolted down tight after doing some more routing/trimming as some of the boards decided to warp on me :waah: What fun lying on my back running 50-plus nuts and washers onto the carriage bolts, all while snaking around the framerails, tank, and exhaust and finding creative ways to keep the bolts from spinning. Once everything was snug, I cut the wheelwells and drilled the perimeter mounting holes. Bed floor- DONE. Okay, still have to trim for the rear stakepockets...

My neighbor stopped by as I pulled the truck outside and commented on how nice the bed floor looked, and then asked if I was gonna treat the wood with anything. "Nope." Going for the 'weathered' look. Got an odd look. I'm sure he thinks I'm ruining it :D

Also, after making a huge mess with seam sealer and breaking my caulk gun, I installed some nutserts for the wheel tubs with a homemade 'tool'. Works pretty well, especially considering the actual installation tool is over $100. I woulda liked to have one, though, after about the third nutsert, as these things takes some 'oomph' to get them to crush. I am not looking forward to doing the other bedside...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

those are cool. Going to look factory to many people when done!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

nice work

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Where did you get those nutserts? Those could be VERY usefull

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

agreed!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks- that's the idea. You guys will know, though... ;)
Thanks!
Yeah, pretty cool little gadgets. Picked 'em up through Grainger.com. Should be able to get 'em at your local store or on Amazon.com as well.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

That bed floor looks awesome! Great idea with the nut serts. I may have to borrow that one myself. Nice!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Had some fun with the spray gun today after welding up the corner bracing and drilling holes for the rear cross-sill in its raised position. Sanded and scuffed the panels in preparation for primer- and then sprayed 'em. The primer looks grey in these pics, but is really black (this may be important later). The header panel is a truer representation of color than the bedsides; guess they were in the sun...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Gave them some time to dry while at my daughter's tee-ball game, then scuffed 'em again so that the color would stick :) I shot two wet coats of the HRF and maaaan does it lay out nicely. It is very forgiving unless you are a complete bonehead, like I was...

I got in a rush (dumb thing to do while painting) and had the panels too close together, so that I had to squeeze between them while painting, causing me get too close to the header and run it :cry: Also had a leakage issue with the gun that got a few drips on the 'sides since they were laying flat. I'll have to decide if I can live with it when it dries completely, but will most likely be sanding and respraying the header- at least the front side- the back is just fine :waah:

All in all, I like this paint, and look forward to shooting more of it. I think it's gonna be cool :cool: In the pics, the jambs are mostly dry, as is the header, but the insides of the bedsides are still wet, hence the glossy-ness...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

These things are awesome, but a bit of a pain to install without the special tool. It can be done, but definitely eat your Wheaties!
Thanks a lot! This is why I put these things up here: in hopes that someone might get some entertainment or use out of it. Also don't mind the motivation :)

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

I found them on eBay for less then the local stores or online....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

very nice !!!! keep up the good work.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks! Trying to keep the momentum- stuff just keeps getting in the way- stupid responsibilities... :dohh:

I did manage to make a little progress by popping out the back glass using the extension cord trick and getting some primer on the back of the cab and paint on the wheeltubs. I didn't paint the cab, as it will get wetsanded before color...

It is killing me to not be perfectly bodyworking this truck before paint. I keep wanting to do it 'right'. I think the technique will pay off though, as the reward for not having worried about the details now is not sweating parking it at Home Depot- or loading it with the junk I buy there. Just might end up with a sweet faux-tina, too :lol:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Looks good!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks! :D I hope to actually have a complete truck again soon...
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Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Howdy,

My project is down to the frame right now and I'm within a month or so of pulling the trigger on whether to paint or powder?? How did you like the powder coat when you got your parts back? It looks very very nice. The word on the street is that powder is the way to go?? What are your thoughts? THanks..

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Looking good

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

I like the powder for it's durability, buuuuuut, it is more expensive and impossible to touch up if you do manage to scratch or chip it. If I were doing a frame-off, I would go powder. Personal preference :chevy:
Thanks! We're getting there...
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Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thank god you changed the bed that was my biggest worry,
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Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Nice progress GL! Love the floor/bed mods.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Haha- me too! It was one of the first things to go...
Thanks! Hope to have it back together soon :)

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Got some color on the cab tonight. Can't say enough about how well this paint lays out- It would look good with some clear on it :cool: I'm really liking this color...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Do you mask off your whole garage before spraying and wet down the floor or are you doing it outside. It looks great so far, keep it up. what kind of gun are you using.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Looking GREAT!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Coming along nice man! :metal:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Ultimately, if I were doing a nice, glossy paintjob, that is exactly what I would do. In this case, it is getting a 'quick and dirty' that is actually turning out nicer than I intended. I almost feel bad for not giving it the prep and attention to detail it deserves. This paint would look awesome on a slicked '67. Even better on something curvy, like an early VW Beetle...

The gun is a cheap Harbor Freight 'purple' gun. I think I got them for $14.99 on sale. Sprays very well- try Googling it to find the right part number to buy- I was very surprised at the quality of the pattern it produces- some compare it to, and say it is a copy of a very expensive Sata/Iwata. I don't know about that, but it's TONS better than a $75 Campbell Hausfeld I inherited- never could get consistent patterns out of that thing...

EDIT: Harbor Freight part number 43430 or 47016 HVLP 'purple gun'
Thanks for the kudos fellas- I'm ready to get this thing going :uhmk:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Here's a few dry shots after I pulled the masking, comparing the old paint to the new. I can start assembling the bed now- finally! :metal:

EDIT: The camera did funky stuff with the color- the wet pics above are much more representative of the actual color- maybe pretty close on the second pic here...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

that does look good...especially in the second pic. IF i find a cheap air compressor large enough for air tools I'll have to pick up one of those HF guns. that's another to add to the good, bad, and ugly thread as a good item to pick up there....

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Lookin good

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks guys :D I'll hafta look for that HF thread...

Put the bed back together tonight. It took a little trimming here and there, both metal and wood, to get it fitting right. It is just loosely bolted together now- I will throw the gate on when I tighten everything down so I know it's aligned properly. I like the color contrast of the blue with the yellow pine- almost looks too nice ;) Don't mind the rear height- I had it aired-up so the creeper would fit underneath...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Very nice work on the bed. I really like the yellow pine too. I used that on one of my stepsides back in the day. You better get that tape off your back window or it might take some elbow grease to clean the tape residue off. Keep the daily progress pictures coming.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Haha- thanks, the rear window is removed and I used blue painter's tape on the inside of the cab, constrained to the gasket sealing surface, so I hope it will be alright. I wanted to have something there to help keep the bodywork dust out of the cab and don't have a helper to re-install the glass. Pics every chance I get to work on it- maybe I'll have a helper this weekend :)

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Oh, my bad. I didn't realize you didn't have glass. I used the high dollar yellow 3M tape from the auto paint store on the last one I did. I left it on there for 2 days and it was a bear to get off. I was shooting eurethane enamel and I guess it didn't mix well with the tape? I spent a few hours cleaning it off the rubber on the windshield and rear window.

That blue looks great on your truck BTW.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

bed wood looks fantastic against the blue and will still look good once the wood greys out.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Yeah, I noticed the blue stuff seems to get 'stickier' too. Now you have me worried :uhmk: I think I'll stick the glass back in Saturday if I can get some help. Thanks for the compliment!
Thanks! ...and this may be sooner rather than later ;)

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Wow your bed wood looks great, I really like the color blue you went with as well. Truck is going to look amazing.